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Throughout history, the family members of President Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” notes one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a television production titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and how he was and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a solution. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law